Blessed
by endless-amber-skies
Summary: After Donovan succumbs to the darkness within him, the Dark Messiah and the future sovereign of the mortal realm will soon find themselves in a conflict far more complicated than salvation. Chaos Tower Arc, JedahxAnita
1. A Haunting

Wow.. I haven't written anything in ages, have I? Meh. Between preparing for the fall semester and writing to my BF in the Air Force, my writing energies have pretty much been pathetic!

So, I'm a huge fan of the Darkstalkers series, Vampire Savior in particular, and I had the chance to watch the enigmatic Dee's ending for the 'Chaos Tower' sequel, and it moved me completely- Poor Donovan. [ And, I was so shocked to see gloomy, brooding Anita grow into such a lovely young lady! I'm absolutely in love with Jedah, and seeing as how he has this massive obsession with our matured sovereign of the human realm.. you can see it got me thinking. But for the sake of the story, I made Anita older because, well- Jedah may be completely delusional, but he isn't a pedophile.

And the usual chutzpah:

**This story is rated** **M** for a reason. There may very well be violence, language (most likely), and sexual situations… lots of them. If that bugs you in any way, please refrain from reading any further!

All characters are the copyright of their respective owners, and I have not made any profit in the creation of it.

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_Thousands of years ago in the demon realm of Makai, the youngest of the three lords ever to rule the Dohma house, Jedah, was betrayed by his advisor, Ozomu. In his greed, Ozomu sealed away his only confidant to take over the Dohma throne, and abused his power to feast on souls and otherwise took no interest in ruling his people. Makai was in uproar over the rise of Emperor Ozomu, and war broke out across the realm as vampire and demon families alike began to fight over who was to become the successor to the Dohma house, and quite possibly the Makai throne._

_A century passes, and Jedah awakens to find the realm in complete chaos, and Ozomu himself has deteriorated into a defenseless gourmand. Jedah pitied his old friend, and then absorbed his soul as part of undertaking a new crusade: All souls across the dimensions were in need of cleansing, and by creating a new realm and one sentient entity, he believed that both the Makai realm and the human realm could live in symbiotic peace. _

_And thus, the Dark Messiah was born._

_Many battles later, the incubi Aensland and vampire Maximoff houses had fallen before him, leaving him as the sole Emperor of the Makai realm. Jedah could see that the salvation of all souls was finally at hand.. all that was left was to assimilate the human world._

_However.. he knew that he was quickly running out of time.. he had to accomplish his goal before the ruler of the human world was realized.._

…_before she, too, awakened._

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…**B l e s s e d…**

**[A Jedah x Anita pairing fic**

**by endlessamberskies**

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_c h a p t e r. 1 A Haunting_

It had been a pitiful spectacle, really, but made a sure example of the madness that would consume all souls without his guidance.

The Dhampir hunter had fought a valiant battle with the latent evil within him, but he had lost and lay dead before Jedah now, all shreds of his humanity gone save for his appearance. However, the dark lord was upset to see that Donovan had already dissuaded his young entourage from following him as he fought his vampire side to protect her, no doubt. Jedah snarled- he had hoped that he would have been able to find the girl with the hunter so that he could quickly seal her away, as she was all that stood between him and the final step to the salvation of both the demon and human realm.

The Makai Emperor created a dimensional rift beside the hunter's body and stepped through it, landing back into the silent Dohma castle in Makai. The entire estate was empty, as was much of the realm, the absorbed souls he had collected already having been transported to the gate of his newly created dimension, where they waited to be fused with souls from the human realm. He was irritable, having hoped to proceed with the final step of his plan this very night, and now he was stuck searching for that damn girl.. again.

He could clearly recall the child in his mind- a gloomy, brooding creature, with wide, soul-less eyes and always carrying about that headless doll. Quite a few years had passed since he last saw the girl, she was a young woman by now no doubt, a spindly, wiry creature; a wraith in comparison. He doubted that the miserable creature would be interested in the vanities of most young women her age, her only indication of any maintenance being the two long, neat braids that hung well down to her ankles, long bangs framing her melancholy face.

Jedah strode to his throne and sat down, closing his eyes. His breath slowed and his mind opened like an eager blossom in the sun, and patiently began to probe the minds of the people of the human realm, thousands by the second. A maelstrom of thoughts echoed within his head, and he chuckled at the trivial matters that the mortals worried themselves to death over, and frowned at the sins and secrets that they all kept. Moments passed, when suddenly a soft, quiet voice echoed within his mind, piquing his interest.

His scent emerged upon the frail mortal before any of his other senses, and he made very sure to focus solely on this particular individual. What was it about her that was so.. intriguing? Suddenly, he felt a shock- a small wave of psychic force that no human could ever have possessed, and he smirked.

It was the Sovereign.

Her name.. _what_ was her name again? He wracked his mind briefly for any flashback, any small memory or indication as to what her name could possibly be. The vampire hunter had said it before.. Andrea. Amanda. Annette.

_Anita_. That was it.

He smelled the faint salt of human tears, of fragrant hair.. and something new, unfamiliar about the child. It was then it dawned on him that she didn't smell like the simpering girl from before at all.. she smelled like.. like…

It wasn't possible.

Finally, his minds eye blurred into a wash of watercolor shapes, then slowly began to focus. He was looking into a darkened room.. a simple bed lay in the corner of the small space, and an equally small window glimpsed out into a sprawling meadow, a wind picking up and blowing the long grass in a lazy fashion . The heavy scent of incense and purifying vapors clung to heavy linen curtains and hung in the air.. his vision finally traveled to a figure on the bed.. and the Makai emperor was nearly shocked out of his trance.

It was _entirely_ impossible.

A shapely body with smooth, creamy skin lay in the bed, a chaste white nightgown clinging lightly to defined curves. The perfect braids were loosened and brushed into long russet waves down a slender back, spilled around her body, curtained over a svelte waist. His gaze traveled lower to long legs, then back upward over a taught tummy. And wonders never cease: She still hugged the headless doll to her developed bosom as she slept. Soft, pink lips were parted and mumbling incoherently as she slept, her cheeks flushed and her bangs clung to a sweaty forehead, her brows furrowed in obvious worry- A bad dream, perhaps? His previous assumption about finding a wraith was completely forgotten, leaving this nymph in her wake before him. She truly was a sight to behold.

The Dark lord smiled, and for once envied the simple humans. As a demon, already thousands of years old, he would forever remain unchanged until the end of time.. or his death. But the humans.. even the most plain and pathetic could change, given time. The smallest or weakest among his peers could grow into their own magnificence. She was so much more than a mere mortal however.. as the sovereign of their realm, she possessed incredible spiritual and psychic power, intended for their protection when she was old enough to awaken into her destined position as their earthbound guardian. It was ultimately upon this latent power that his plans would either be realized or fail. He shook himself from his musings, deciding to visit the human world once more before retiring for the evening. This may work to his advantage yet.

_Donovan.._

She couldn't sense him anymore.

Even when he had turned, the darkness of his vampire half consuming his mortal soul right before her eyes, she could still feel her former guardian's careful guidance, urging her to run away, to be strong for him.

_Donovan..where...?_

No, not Donovan.. when he had turned into a full vampire, the darkness had named itself as Dee, a new entity.. but Dee, Donvan, whomever he was, he was gone now. She still insisted on watching over him, his guardian angel of sorts, should he ever need it.

She knew that he never would- and now it was too late.

The young woman sat up in bed, brushing damp bangs from her eyes, still breathing heavily. It had been many years since she left the side of her benevolent guardian, before he had shown her that she indeed had kept her emotions after her family had been slaughtered before her as an innocent child. After all, as she watched as Donovan died and Dee was born, she cried for the first time in years. Sometimes.. she still cried over him, even now.

A gentle breeze blew into the room, and she could hear some of the nuns across the hall spending their nighttime vigils in hushed prayer. It had been several years since the kind sisters of the convent had taken the lost, anguished child in, until she was old enough to study scripture and trained to become a sister herself, eventually.

Anita licked her lips, realizing how dry her mouth was when her tongue pulled away from her lips, sticky. She arose from her position and walked across the room, passing in front of the window when another gust blew in, the curtains enveloping her into an incensed cloud. The material lilted upward, brushing up against her face, a nail lightly grazing over her flushed skin-

she whirled around, only to have more insentient fabric suddenly blow right into her face once again.

She nervously brushed a hand through her hair. Another breeze had blown in with more fervor, lifting her hair gently from her shoulders. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, but stiffened when she felt her hair lift suddenly lifted above neck.. cold fingers running ticklish traces over the exposed skin. Startled, she fell forward and looked over her shoulder at.. white curtains that lay unsettled next to her window. The shutters had been closed. With a small, childish hope, her voice strangled out of her dry throat.

"Donovan…?"

No, not Donovan. God forbid otherwise. A pit formed within her stomach.

"…._Dee_?"

Water be damned- she was going back to bed, now.

She lay back down in bed, turned to her side with her knees pulled up toward her chest like a scared child. This was the most distraught Anita had been since coming here.. since..

The pillows beneath her head moved.. rose and fell, like drawing breath. She realized that a surface above her head was soft and firm.. a chest. She shuddered when she realized that her head currently lay in a lap. She gasped and struggled to get up, but suddenly a strong arm wrapped itself around her waist, whilst her hand was raised to be pressed tenderly to cold lips. A deep chuckle rumbled against her body, her hair brushed to one side and soft breath blew into her ear.

"_A good evening to you, milady_."

She swallowed down the bile that had risen in her throat.

"_You're speechless, I see.. I am making you uncomfortable, perhaps? I know you know.. about him. Your beloved guardian. Are you sad?"_

She damn near growled. He laughed as her body tensed.

"He was already dead long before now."

"_Did you love him? Hmm? Your.." _He paused, and she could feel the cruel smirk that graced hislips_. "..Donovan..?_"

She began to struggle within his grasp, and he held her down with ease. Jedah was suddenly grateful that her massive power was solely mental, and not physical. The girl continued to struggle, trying to think of where she had heard this voice before.. and quite possibly, why he was currently in her room.

Her struggles became fierce when his free hand took her by the chin, turning her face toward his.. as if to kiss her. She pleaded with him, and he quietly shushed her as his forehead brushed against hers and stayed remained there. Her mind was taken back, to once upon a time.. a small campfire blazed before her in a desolate wasteland, a small tent had been pitched across from where she sat, and sitting beside her.. oh God, next to her sat-

"_My grudge isn't with you, vampire hunter," a voice chuckled darkly. "You will realize that one day, that child is far more trouble than she's worth." Donovan placed a protective hand in front of Anita, and his eyes narrowed at the shadow before him. "You will do best to leave her alone, foul demon," he spat back at him. "I made a promise to this child and to God that I will not rest until we find peace and our humanity… together." _

Anita gasped, then tenderly bit her lip, and was suddenly back in her room. "You're him.. that demon Donovan chased away." Jedah growled lowly at the thought as her voice became quiet. "..and.. you wanted to kill me. Want to kill me." He chuckled, chest rumbling once more, and Anita cried out as she felt his lips press against her exposed throat, the light scraping of fangs across the fragile skin.

"Oh yes, your majesty.. and more.. so, so much more.."

His fingers gently began to run through her hair as she felt the pin pricks of his fangs suddenly sink beneath her skin.

…Anita sat up in bed, brushing away stray bangs from her damp forehead.


	2. Marble

Lalalala so the story has landed.. yay, chapter two!!

Hehehe.. and I also added some action for shortchannel4 and Fortune Zyne..

(Psst.. and special props to whomever can recognize and tell me which Marvel Villain that is briefly given a little tribute to in this chapter, hehehe.)

Enjoy, guys! And pwease review? It makes me uber happy p

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_c h a p t e r. 2. m a r b l e _

His pale lips were pressed possessively against her slender neck, his hand entangled in silken, unruly hair.

Thin ribbons of blood were on the sheets, their bodies, bright red marks from his nails ran entirely down the length of her back. Remains of a transparent, prismatic flesh clung raggedly to her raw skin- her pair of intricate gossamer wings lay haphazardly upon the floor, bitten off. She shook within his embrace, her chest heaving into his as she gasped, moaned, as he thrust himself into her lithe body languidly, powerfully. Jedah however, took no note of the faye gasping beneath him- his mind was pressed to other matters.

The body he held was lithe, yet held the weight of warm flesh and blood, a human heart and soul. Faye hair as white as snow had become chestnut and long, sweeping against a smooth naked back. He imagined that pallid, deathly skin bore the slickness and flush of impassioned flesh. Ashen arms encircled his neck and he smirked, suddenly plunging his fangs into her neck, marking her. A kiss of silver. Nirvana. Blood. Death.

He was thoroughly disappointed to taste the thin, watery blood of the faye, lacking the warmth and thickness of human blood.

His tongue slowly licked up to her earlobe, stopping to nibble the flesh tenderly. He chuckled deeply when she shuddered against him, her breath evening as they began to descend from their peaks, their bodies sated for the evening. Jedah withdrew himself from her body and lay beside his lover, her eyes already drifting shut. He smiled and kissed her sweaty brow. Demon though he may be, the Dark Messiah understood the importance of the passion that governed the universe in its entirety- passion of conviction, the passion of life, the passion of love.. and of lovemaking. It was with this zeal that he wanted to enact his unification of all souls. Surely, they would all realize this burden he had taken upon himself for their sake.

Surely, in all his infinite wisdom, God had shown him this path.

The body in his arms trembled gently as she exhaled quietly into his skin, and then stilled, a sudden warmth flowing into his bosom. Her body physically slumped into his, the ethereal glow of her previous warmth- her living soul- now resting peacefully within him, soon to join the other souls he had gathered come morning.

How peaceful the process was, when they came before him in their innocence, in acquiescence, he mused. He kissed her forehead once more and drifted into a deep, fulfilled sleep of the righteous.

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The bright, magnificent first rays of sunrise washed over the convent, a bell deeply resonating rich tones throughout the halls, signaling the beginning of a glorious new day. The convent burst into life as nuns hurried through the halls, busying themselves with getting bathed and dressed before the morning prayer and breakfast. One sister piped up into a melodic hymn until all nearby voices joined hers, singing their gratitude for the beautiful summer day bestowed upon them.

…Anita however, had lain awake for the remainder of the night, terrified that her dreams would haunt her once more.

A knock fell softly upon her door, and was carefully pushed open. The head nun entered the room and took one look at the exhausted girl, nearly fell over. Glassy, amethyst eyes outlined by dark circlets peered back at the matron, dry and chapped lips mumbled a feeble response.

"_Goodness_, child! Are you ill?"

The girl gave a small smile, getting up from the bed, but was soon gently pushed back down by the nun. Anita was about to protest when she was shushed. "I won't hear of you getting out of bed until you're well, dear!" Curious faces began to appear within the doorway, and soon hands were pressed to foreheads, a tray with breakfast and cups of tea instantly appeared, pillows were fluffed, and as soon as they had appeared, the multitude of women had left the room to let Anita eat and rest for the day.

She quickly ate then lay back down, taking a deep breath as she forced her eyes shut. What _had_ happened last night?

Was it really just a dream? She knew that Dee had been slain, but that man.. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind that she had met him before now- but what did he _want_ with her? She bit her lip as she already knew the answer. But why kill her? He had said something before.. and last night.

"_Oh yes, your majesty.. and more.. so, so much more.." _

She knew that she had a certain… power. She had frequently seen it as child- she would become upset or lose her temper- the only emotion that she allowed herself to indulge- and objects would start flinging themselves off of tables, thrust into the air from walls. But since she had left Donovan.. since she had learned that normal little girls had emotions and not strange powers, they had since disappeared and been kept her most guarded secret.

Her mind fumbled through these thoughts until she fell into an uneasy sleep.

The sun rose high into the summer sky over the convent, then steadily sank back into the grasses of the neighboring meadows, as the hot, sultry day shifted into a humid evening. A neglected tray with now cold broth lay next to her bed- Indeed, Anita had slept the entire remainder of the day. Light footsteps crept quietly into the room, placing a cool hand onto her brow as she continued to sleep. Lips bent down and brushed suggestively against her own, not quite pressing into a stolen kiss as she lay unaware. A small chuckle escaped him as her pink lips subconsciously puckered from his soft touch.

He pulled away slowly from her and spoke, mere inches away from her face.

"I have left for you a present, my lady.." The lips twisted into a cruel grin.

"I sincerely _hope_ that you enjoy it."

Jedah stood back up and made his way to the door, his smile becoming wider, then breaking into peals of hysterical laughter once outside her door. He had to wonder: Had the girl _ever_ been kissed before? A thick, coppery smell permeated through the hallways as he made his way to another room to observe his work.

Perhaps he could steal that from her as well.

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It felt so far away, at first.. a gentle presence that closed in on her being, slowly, but surely. The warmth of memory pulsed within her breast, then spread languidly throughout her dormant body. Familiar.. loving.. even in her sleep, she couldn't help but smile. A gentle, reassuring voice whispered into her mind.. and for the first time in years, she felt…

.._safe_.

Anita immediately sat up in bed at the manic laughter outside of her door, her eyes wildly gazing about the room in terror. He had been here- she could feel his presence still lingering throughout the darkened space. She carefully crept out from beneath the covers, and crossed the room to the door, hesitantly placing her hand on the knob. The door slowly creaked open, candlelight filtering into the room.. and revealing a silent, empty hallway. She guessed it must have been much later than she had previously guessed: The quiet murmurs of prayer she usually heard as sisters kept their vigils were now silent, as they sometimes nodded off during the night.

She couldn't help but smile at the thought.

She was broken from her reverie as a sudden presence blew itself into her mind, spreading throughout her body. Her senses melted into a warm euphoria, delicious and arousing, and she lilted down the hall, led as if she were a mere balloon on a string. Anita was brought before the tall doors of the chapel, and they swung open of their own accord, inviting her into the candle-lit hall. The marble figure of Christ gazed piously at her from beyond the altar down the aisle, and she continued her dreamlike float toward him, choking back a tortured sob when she came closer, scrutinizing the statuesque face.

He had finely sculpted features, as he had always been far too beautiful for any earthbound creature, or even celestial for that matter. The heavy Buddhist beads still hung around his neck, his robes still swathed over his muscular body, the same arms that had cradled her in protection as she slept. His long brown braid was hung well below his waist, and he smiled benevolently at her, his one golden and other azure eye taking her in. It was not Dee. The mad insurgence that had overwhelmed his mind-his aura- had dissolved completely. He came forward from behind the altar and she burst into tears, standing still, terrified. She was suddenly nine years old again.

She sobbed. "_God_.. a_re you so cruel as to show my Donovan to me again? He is dead."_

Donovan came closer still, closer, until she could breathe in the familiar scent of the sage and incense that always clung to him, comforted her as a child. Strong arms suddenly embraced her, holding her against his chest, running soothing hands through her hair. The warm presence overwhelmed her again, speaking seductively into her ear as her guardian held her.

"_Do you understand now? If all souls were to join.."_

His hands ran up her arms to her rest upon her shoulders, her eyes drifting shut as his palms placed themselves underneath her chin, slowly tilting her face upward. She felt warmth breath fan over her face, lips only mere inches away from her own.

"_Nobody would know the death of pain. The reality of death itself would not exist. You could remain by his side.."_

She gasped softly as the lips lowered themselves a hair's breadth from her flushed skin, and for a moment she believed her heart would stop, or she would otherwise go mad- but they never met, but whispered a tender promise instead.

"_Forever_."

The warm scent of sage and incense became faint, once again becoming a distant memory. His hands were longer now, nails firmly pressing into her skin beneath her nightgown. The euphoria came off in waves from this new persona, and she buried her face within his chest, breathing in a new, mysterious scent- Burning ink. Roses.

Her mind screamed at her as the body pulled away, then kneeled in front of her in one fluid motion. The dark figure took her hand from where it had been frozen beside her waist, and pressed it once again to cold lips. Jedah smiled at the girl's expression, standing back up and easily towering over her small form. "I don't believe I've introduced myself, fair maiden. I am Jedah of the House of Dohma, the sole Emperor of the Realm of Makai. And you, bright angel, are the sole sovereign of the Mortal realm. Anita..." His voice became quiet, and his eyes captured her own. She noticed that despite their crimson color, they held a depth and warmth that she had never encountered before. It terrified her.

It thrilled her.

"Beautiful Sovereign of the Mortals," his voice whispered silkily. "I have crossed the cosmos, altered dimension itself, and scoured the realm of the humans to find only _you_.." Jedah ran a hand further down her body, soon resting against her stomach, and felt her body tense up immediately. "I have shown you a testament of my devotion, and stand before you now as your servant. I lay myself before your feet. I do all of this only for _you_." The girl said nothing, made no indication of her comprehension of his words. Poor child. He tried again.

"Please understand.. _I need you_."

His nail ran lazy circles down her stomach, to her abdomen, then stopped when a panicked gasp reached his ears, a grin crossing his features as he hugged her soft body into him, running a hand through her hair. He really had not realized how innocent the girl was. He had not meant to scare her- much.

Anita trembled against his firm body, suddenly realizing that his flesh was solid muscle beneath his clothing. As a demon, he could no doubt hurt her- or kill her- without moving a muscle. And yet, here he was, cradling her as if she were a precious child. "I just want you to understand: I am here to provide a sanctuary for all souls, to stop war, prejudice and the torment of the innocent, both Nightwalker and human. Don't you see..?" He buried his nose within her hair, and inhaled her scent deeply. "All souls unified as one, eternally happy. Our Utopia." She was completely unprepared for what he asked next.

"Tell me, bright angel.. _have you ever been kissed_?"

"W-what?" She stammered, but he only continued.

"_Hmm? Has anybody ever tasted your sweet lips.. caressed your warm skin_.." He pressed himself against her small body and leaned down to place his lips beside her ear once more. He licked his lips as he felt her shiver as he whispered seductively into her ear.

"…_Pleasured you until you cried out into the night._.?" Images of the girl flickered into Jedah's mind, writhing restlessly beneath him, the scent of her body and womanhood headily washing over his senses. He struggled to regain his composure as he continued to whisper hotly into her ear.

"_..Passionately made love to you..?"_

She gasped and began to struggle against the numbness that had invaded her being when his face closed in on her own, tears welling over her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. Jedah's lips pressed against her skin to capture the droplets in their descent, his presence overwhelming her senses. "I just.. I want… Jedah.." She cried out as his face closed in on hers again, pleading him not to continue. He shushed her gently and pressed his forehead against her brow, and she felt her body go limp against him, blushing at the intimacy of his embrace.

Brief images fluttered within her mind, hazy and blurred yet simultaneously so clear as he shared his thoughts with her. She was in a large chamber, dimly lit with candles emitting blue flames. Doors leading out to a grandiose balcony were open, and the haze of a large, sanguine moon that hung heavily in the sky glowed into the room, creating an ethereal purple glow when combined with the blue candlelight. The room was magnificently furnished with antiques and masterful tapestries and carpeting, but her attention was suddenly drawn to the bed at the head of the room, a large portrait hanging above it. Jedah was portrayed upon the canvas, his porcelain skin and statuesque features eternally captured upon it, and it took her breath away. Anita was suddenly reminded of the art of Michelangelo and the other great works that depicted angels in all of their faultless beauty, and she was stunned at his likeness. But.. he was a demon, was he not?- it was entirely impossible.

Or was it? There was, after all, the Morning Star- the most favored and beautiful of all the hosts of angels of heaven, cast out into hell after he had forsaken the graces of God. Jedah certainly walked along the razor thin edge of damning himself, and yet he spoke of a revelation, the salvation of souls. He was clearly mad.

Her mind's eye was carefully brought down to the bed surrounded by a gauzy curtain, then suddenly pulled into it, behind it- and she audibly gasped.

Anita lay upon the midnight silk, her hair spilling all around her and falling over the satin pillows, her face flushed as her moans softly filled the air. Propped above her was Jedah, his face buried into her neck as he sucked and nipped her collarbone, his body obscured from the waist down beneath more satin sheets, his body rising and falling in a steady rhythm against her small frame- it was obvious as to what the couple was passionately engaged in. She watched as the taught muscles rippled beneath the porcelain flesh of his back and arms as he skillfully moved above her. She saw herself raise a trembling hand to tangle itself within his hair, the other clutching the sheets in a tight grip. Her mind swam in agony.. this was far too passionate, unbearably.. _real_. It was too much.

Jedah carefully examined the girl carefully as she absorbed the erotic scene through her subconscious, suddenly breathing faster. He felt her soft breasts brush against his chest, the rosebuds of her nipples hardening, smelled the blood flowing eagerly throughout her body as she awakened into arousal. She bit her lip delicately, and he pressed her ever closer still when one searching hand ran itself up his arm to rest behind his head, running her nails through his hair. He, too felt himself become aroused, although he was quite fascinated at trying to fathom how the virgin maiden was comprehending all of this. He took in her flushed features once more before deciding that she was enjoying herself.. very much, in fact. He let the image fade away into a faint haze, gently releasing her mind from his grasp as they both opened their eyes, her violet irises blearily comprehending the crimson ones before her. "Anita.." Her breathed, looking down at her in awe. "I could give you these things.. and as I had promised, so, so much more.."

Anita's eyes focused, her head clearing reluctantly from the interlude, and she shook it slowly. "Please, I.. just want to be normal. Live a normal life." He chuckled in amusement, much to her annoyance. "No, I'm serious. This is my second chance live a normal life.. a gift that Donovan had given me at the cost of his soul. I cannot forsake such a thing so easily." The Dark Lord shook his head, sighing deeply and stepping away from the girl, and she took the time to awkwardly stumble away from him. "It is apparent to me that… you are not yet ready. You do not yet understand." A rift formed behind him, and he stepped backward into it, still smiling at the girl. "I will give you a day to decide.. to make the right decision.. for yourself, of course." He turned to face the portal, then carefully whirled back around as if he had forgotten something. Instead, he scrutinized the girl quietly for a few moments more, then passed through the rift and disappearing.

Anita ran a hand through her brow, falling to an awkward, exhausted sitting position in the center of the aisle.

"_Please God_," she begged, aloud.

"_Please tell me what to do… because I honestly don't know_."


	3. Blossom

Finally.

Finally, after _two_ _whole_ _years_ of patience on the part of my absolutely wonderful fans, I have updated 'Blessed'- and believe me, I am as excited as the rest of you~

I've already delayed you all enough, so here it is…!

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_c h a p t e r. 3. b l o s s o m_

A dull, creeping soreness hugged Anita's body from the cold dark, her thoughts foggy and discordant.

The scents of rich sage and incense, of roses and ink had disappeared, leaving the stoic, empty musk of the old stone building in its wake. She felt herself shiver as she opened her eyes and groaned miserably, a watercolor haze of sunlight shining through the stained glass windows of the chapel, the stone face of Christ still- as he always was- looking piously down from her from his perch at the altar. It had suddenly hit her.

She had another encounter with that demon- Jedah, he had called himself -again, and he had enticed her with her own desires.. both of her mind, and of her body. Anita felt sick with the realization that she had been tempted, and so easily.

She had been weak. And _yet_..

Her eyes widened and filled with unshed tears with sudden realization, entangled within the turbulent memories of the previous night.

"…_No_."

Anita had been quick to rouse herself from her reverie upon waking up in the inhospitable chapel, pulling her tired body down the aisle by grasping the pews, bent over like an old woman as she passed. An hour later, she had bathed, dressed, and was packing what few precious possessions and money she had into her valise as quickly as she could. As cruel as it sounded even to her, she had to leave before any of the nuns woke up for breakfast and prayer; Surely, if she saw the kind women who had taken care of her as their own one last time, she would lose her resolve.

_Resolve_. It would be something she would be needing in abundance for the next few days.

* * *

Jedah returned back to his Makai palace; a heavy, dense entity weighing down upon his body. His chest throbbed with a dull ache, and he chuckled at the audacity of the beings stirring within his breast.

Donovan's soul, even as his body lay decaying and now residing within the bosom of the Dark Messiah still fought; still stung with indignation at being used against Anita the evening before. This weight, this sudden pain afflicting the Makai Lord now was the guardian's last efforts to dissuade Jedah.

A weak and pathetic attempt, to be sure.

The thought of coming to Anita in the Dhampir's form to seduce her to his will thrilled Jedah to no end- the trapped soul within him responded by giving the Dark Lord another fierce pang within his chest, as if to admonish him for his vulgarity. The effect, still, was anything but sobering to Jedah.

Let him fight, let all of the lost sheep struggle. They knew no better. But.

_But_.

Donovan, no matter how hard he tried, knew that it was too late for him to do anything about it- there was no returning to a body that had been paid in the price of death. Fetid or no, he was sure that the Dhampir would have tried regardless: Jedah had, indeed, cut down the weed of dissent before it it had grown completely out of control. Donovan must have surely realized by now that any backlash on his part was nothing more than a mere nuisance.

Regardless, the entire performance had been playing itself out beautifully, concert as it was: The White Knight, felled and relinquishing his fair, sunlit maiden into the wilds of the night, vulnerable and ravished by the dark and the woods. Raw-faced, swollen-lipped, she was unwittingly vulnerable… and leaving him the perfect moment to strike, once it presented itself. He was nearly saddened at the thought- these little preludes had become quite entertaining in the interim.

Jedah idly mused to himself; He was being rather poetic tonight.

Satisfied with this revelation, Jedah went to his bedchambers to retire, undressed and lay maddeningly cheerful within his bed, pleased with what progress he had been making and quickly took to a fitful sleep.

Donovan's essence stilled, and fought no more.

_Exeunt_.

* * *

Come mid-morning, a horrified cry resounded through the convent halls as a note was discovered posted to their beloved ward's door; a brief, apologetic explanation for her sudden departure, though in itself was still vague. The Mother Superior read it aloud, the entire congregation of nuns stunned by the news. They all wordlessly moved to clasp hands in prayer, their heads bent in a close, pious ring in the center of the hallway.

"_Dear Father_," the Mother Superior began. "_Please watch over Your daughter as she makes her way, wherever she may be, for we all love her._"

A murmur of agreement went through the circle.

"_Please keep her strong as she ventures out alone into the world; the world from which she had come to us, broken and scared, all of those eleven years ago_."

"_But always, always have her know, Lord, that our child will always have a home and a family to love her, and guide her steps back to us should she ever need to do so_." A sob had sounded within the group, and others quickly began to follow.

"_Amen_."

* * *

Anita had traveled the better part of the day, the sun reaching its white zenith above and melting down into a languidly warm afternoon. She had wandered with little direction, avoiding any chances of running into any adjacent towns, anywhere that innocent people would be. Anita knew as night fell, it would not matter- Jedah would inevitably come, clothed in the curtain of midnight, and demand that she make her choice. Though.. 'choice' wasn't exactly the way she would have put it.

She knew that either way, it would not matter; Either go with him willingly, or compel him to take her by force. Anita understood as much as she did that no mere mortal could go against the whims of a demon, and a demon lord at that. But better it be her, than countless innocent people, or her beloved convent- would they have noticed that she was gone already?

"_Resolve_," she chanted within her mind, over and over, as a monk would recite a sutra.

"_Resolve_, _resolve_, _resolve_.."

Suddenly, an idea had hit her, and getting a bearing for her surroundings, took off toward the northwest, praying that she could make it in time.

* * *

Anita had clutched her valise to her chest as she wandered through the port, knowing that she had been eyed suspiciously by the sailors as they waited for the ship to leave the dock. She had practically begged the porter to send her on the previous ship, even offering him extra money so as to let her on the already crowded vessel, as long as she was able to leave the mainland as soon as possible. He had gruffly apologized, and explained again that the next boat would be out late that evening.

_Not soon enough_, she had reminded herself with a note of panic as she watched another ship become a small dot on the horizon. "Besides lass," He had started with a note of amusement, "It is a bad omen to have women sailing on ships! Ye lucky the captain will be letting' ye on anyhow!" The nerve!

It was a desperate bid, but she had hoped that not only would she be away from any substantial amount of innocent people should Jedah indeed come from her in the night, she was frantic in the hope that the lore concerning a demon's inability to cross bodies of water were true. In any case, the more people she was separated from… come what may… the better.

When the porter had grown tired of watching her meander about the dock, he finally let Anita onboard to get settled in her room- a small cubby of a space -as long as she "minded herself and stayed out of trouble." She certainly had something to say for _his _trouble! Still, she was thankful to be out of that loud, filthy port. Fishing a book out of her bag, she attempted to read to pass the time, but found her mind inevitably wandering again.

Jedah obviously was threatened by her, and held her in high regard as he kept referring to her as if she were some sort of nobility: Your majesty. My lady.. Sovereign of the Mortals. But why?

With his insistence, his intensity and his obvious desperation to keep her intimidated, it was abundantly clear that she was… or would be.. a significant threat to him. Maybe he did not realize that she could not use her powers as readily as she had before? She looked intently out the porthole for something to manipulate- it had been so easy for her, as a child. She would lose her temper, and like heartbeat something was smashing itself against the floor, the walls, at people. Instantly, she eyed a small skiff, a man propped upward against the side with a fishing line in the water. His hat was placed over his face to shield from the sun, and was obviously asleep.

_Pull the line_, she willed, concentrating. _Pull the line and wake him up_.

Breathless moments passed. Her eyes had begun to hurt from the squinting.

_Pull, pull, pull. You could lift bookshelves without batting an eye. This is nothing._

Anita soon felt herself become lightheaded and had to remember to breathe- her nails dug into her palms from how tightly fisted her hands were.

_PULL ON THE LINE. WAKE HIM UP. NOW._

Frustrated, Anita finally exhaled and lay back down on the bed in a huff, and soon fell into an uneasy, anxious sleep. Whatever influence or power she could possibly have over her fate was long gone- and soon enough, she would be faced with the inevitable when that madman came for her.

Some people, she swore, had the absolute worst luck.

* * *

It was the damndest thing.

Old Ericson had the strangest story to tell at the pub that afternoon- After spending the morning fishing, he had dozed off and woken up to find that his entire pole had snapped clean in half. However, the fishing line was still attached, and when he pulled it up on the other end there was a monster of a marlin- it was just waiting there, tame as a tabby, as if asking him to haul it in. Even as they spoke, his wife was back home cleaning and cooking it up for him and his friends for a fine dinner, and they in turn ordered yet another round for everyone to celebrate.

Some people had all the luck.

* * *

Peonies.

Tiny, pearlescent buds tucked tenderly into dark, glossy curls. They were not unheard of in the Makai, but they were indeed rare- a charming oddity.

Somehow it seemed so important, at the time.

Arabesque music lilted overhead, through them, harmonizing with watery streams of lunar light from overhead. A ballroom. Hazy, soft unfurling of memory at the edge of subconscious.

No, no.. it had been a throne room. His father's, or that of Belial perhaps? He labored over the incomplete canvas within his mind- yes, a throne room; But he knew that there was a steady din and the sultry heat of bawdy festivities lay behind him. Certainly, it was not a gala thrown in the honor of his house; The Dohma household was known for far more subtle affairs. Indeed… the faint wisp of the smell of human women- captured to be seduced and fed upon later, no doubt -came to him through the smell of the rich feast, the glamour of dark magicks and bloodlust. He was surely standing in the vampire estate Zelzereitch, and the Maximoffs were throwing another one of their elaborate parties. A Feast of the Damned, as they always were.

Here and now, in the garden piazza, was deliciously cool and fragrant. He could smell the tiny flowers even from where he stood, a soft and feminine fragrance. They suited her quite well, in fact. _…Her?_

"_They're lovely, aren't they?"_

Words, soft and distant, said in a tongue not spoken to him in a very long time; The language of an archaic dialect spoken by only the nobility of Makai. Such parlance had not been lost on him, but the realization at how long he had not needed to use it- _heard _it -had stung him bitterly; The arts of the gentility had certainly been lost long before his time, it seemed.

A smooth, shapely arm gestured off to the side of the walled garden to a black, mossy reflecting pool spattered with floating lilies and their pads, dark shadows flitting beneath the still shapes on the water. He had idly grunted in reply to her query, walking toward the stately figure in the center of the garden. He suppressed the immense urge to take in the consortium of aroma around him once more- and her scent, to be exact. Such whimsical urges would certainly be deemed unbefitting of a Makai prince, though the youngest he may have been. He composed himself, and then spoke.

"There is a legend amongst some of the human tribes-"

She gasped, suddenly turning around to eye him aghast. "You've.. read mortal literature? You can understand their language?" He couldn't help but smirk at the innocent look on her face, walking forward until he was but an arm's width away, then turned back toward the water. "Indeed… I have, and I can. They believed that the moon was a living, breathing entity. A god. Every morning when the moon had sunk below the horizon to rest after a nightly vigil, he was returning to his court, and more specifically, to the company of his favorite maidens. It was said that if the moon could fall in love with one single maiden, he would turn her into one of the stars of the sky, to live together with him for all of time." At this, he looked down to catch her gazing upward at the moon, and the small curtain of stars that hung satellite around it.

"There was a princess who had heard of this, and wishing to be a star and gain the favor of the moon, would wait until the palace was asleep and steal away to follow the moon as he made his way across the sky every night. The handsome, impervious moon did not even notice the enamored princess, though her bitter crying could be heard all over the hills and the land every night as she sought his love, unrequited."

"One evening, the princess had chased the moon to a great, wide lake, and seeing him reflected on the water's surface, believed that her beloved had finally descended to the earth in order to receive her. Without a second thought she flung herself into the lake, and drowned as she looked for her love in vain."

The girl beside him inhaled softly, and he felt her grasp his arm as if begging for his reassurance. "Surely that cannot be the end of it? What a sad story.." He chuckled, then gently took her hand to drop a kiss onto it. "No, no my lady. Do not distress yourself, there is more."

"The moon soon heard of the desperate princess and her fate, and was heartbroken to know that she had died so mournfully in his name. He could not bring her back to her mortal life, but indeed turned her into a star- one as brilliant and beautiful as any of the others of the sky, but to be as different and loved by any and all who would see her." He gestured toward the pool once more, at the milky-white lilies as they opened upward toward the silent moon. "An earthbound star; In this way, they were married to forever be as one. She would open up her fragrant blossoms every night to gaze upward at him, and he down at her; and in the morning she would go to rest and turn as pink as the dawn until the next night where she could once again be with her love, never to be spurned again."

The look on her face as he finished was magnificent. She had leaned breathlessly forward, when a beautiful smile spread over her face, alighting her eyes. Despite his best efforts, he felt tremulous warmth break through him, his facade. "Please, Milord. I must know your name." She sank into a deep curtsey, and the skirts of her elaborate gown pooled about her as if she were a delicate lily in her own right. She gazed upward at him, and his heart stilled at the at the obvious happenstance. It was fate, he knew.

"But my dear lady, why would you want to be associated with the likes of demons who read forbidden literature from the human realm? Wandering away from one of the illustrious Maximoff feasts where there is extravagance and humans to be had, to tell silly stories of the futility of love?" She smiled- she had been clever enough to know that he had been teasing her.

"Futility, my lord?" She laughed lightly, and gently took his offered hand to help her stand back up. "It was not with the passion of futility that spurned you to tell the tale. I am more than sure." Her gaze softened, as did her smile. "Milord.. You are much different than the others. You may speak of this party and the rare pleasures to be had therein.. But I can tell that they do little to interest you."

He gave her a magnificent bow. "You are quite perceptive, my lady."

"No. I am Ophelia, of the house of Bahretal."

He smiled and stood back upright, and then lowering his face into her fragrant hair, kissing right beside the white flowers as if planting another radiant bud within her sable curls. He then gently cradled her into his arms and kissed delicately beside her ear as she gasped softly in surprise.

"_I know_, _dearest moon_."

Jedah shuddered awake in his bed. It had been a story told and retold to him many, many times; His father had always recalled fondly the night he had begun courting his mother.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I really, really feel like an awful person for having not updating this since 2007.. And even then, people still have been emailing and messaging me asking if I were to continue.. But I must give gratitude to a few people who I really wanted to come back, so this one is for you:

First and foremost, my awesome and patient boyfriend **Edward**, who I have had sit down and read my stories _countless _times, and to which I am really grateful, because he is probably sick of me forcing him to read/write/review my work. I love you, baby!

**Glass**- Really, reading your review made me smile like no other. I love the thought that writing not only stimulates a person emotionally, but physically as well (no pun intended, haha)! I really hope that this new chapter makes you happy as much as it made me.

**The Pen Calls**- Seriously, I think you had hit _right _on the head why I have such an attraction to Jedah and Anita as a couple. On one hand, it is a pretty crack pairing, but on the other gives one SO many different naughty little ideas to try, no? I hope you enjoy this new one!

**Lobsil Vith**- Hahaha, first I was pretty stoked that you had a Silent Hill mythos sn, but reading that I "mushed" your brain made me ludicrously happy. I hope that taking so awfully long to update hasn't turned you off to reading more- hope you enjoyed it!

**Shortchannel4**- and especially, to you my very first reviewer, I want to thank you. It is not every day that I read that my writing is flawless, and it was such a beautifully flattering thing to read and I thank you. Please do come back?

**And to all of my honored newcomers:**

Please, please, _please _do not let me think that I have updated for the first time in years in vain- I am terrified that this has indeed become a dead story to other readers, and I'll appreciate any reviews to tell me otherwise! Hearing your comments and feedback is this story's lifeblood, and any reviews keep me going.

Thank you once again everybody.. And I'm back!!

_Much love,_

_endless+amber+skies_


	4. Seafoam

Guys.

C'mon.

I was so super stoked about finally uploading another chapter.. And compared to the amazing traffic I've been getting, I have NO new reviews.

Nothing. Zero.

SO bummed.

Really guys, please. After so long, I really want to know what you guys think, even if its something as simple as "Hey e+a+s, Jedah is hot", or "Boo, Jedah is a jerk". Just whatever! Please don't let me think that this is a dead story to you guys, because that is really how I'm starting to feel!

Reviews and feedback is this story's lifeblood at this point, and without any proper nourishment, it will die. No joke.

Okay, so I'm done ranting- but I do hope you guys enjoy.. And please.. Say _something_!

e+a+s

* * *

_c h a p t e r. 4. s e a f o a m_

_The velveted wing beat of large, thick wings sounded behind her as she ran down the dark corridor, one wall encompassed entirely with tall floor to ceiling windows. They flung open as she passed, sending a spray of unruly curtains into her face, making her fumble forward to catch her balance. One of the windows shattered behind her, and the sound of violent tearing rang through the corridor, followed by an insistent knocking. It sounded again in staccato. _

_One, two… _

Anita sat up bleary eyed in her tiny room once more, turning toward the persistent knocking. She got up, erstwhile smoothing down her unruly braids as she walked towards the door.

"Just a minute!"

Faint lantern light shone into the room as she cautiously cracked the door open and peered outside, the scent of something finely seasoned and prepared assaulting her senses. One of the shipmates stood with a tray, its contents covered to keep the food warm. Either way, it smelled nothing short of fantastic.

"Ye must be hungry, missy. Everybody has been making amazing catches all day today. Shoulda' seen ol' Ericson's catch this morning, phwoooar!" He sniffed, then beamed up at her. "But this was made special for ye. The cook insisted on only the finest for our fair guest."

She smiled and nodded at the kind gesture, he tipping his hat before turning smartly on his heel and heading back upward onto the deck. Shutting the door again with her foot, she set the tray down on a tiny desk adjacent to her bed and lifted the cover, her stomach growling in reply. Various seafoods were arranged in an attractive array on a bed of seasoned rice- it looked as if it was something more suited to the cuisine of the southern continents. Such a dish was far more exotic and savory than anything she had ever been used to, her palate accustomed to the far more simpler meals served in the convent. With growing despair, she also fancied it appropriate for somebody about to enjoy their last meal.

Glancing once more outside of her porthole, the sky had dressed into the lustrous gown of sunset, the moon descending into view from the heavens; not very far off. If she couldn't at least fight Jedah on his own level with a power of her own, she resolved to at least go with dignity- it sickened her to know that the thought of her possibly crying or cowering from him in terror would amuse him- greatly.

She ate in silence, with a strange calm washing over her, and was even able to enjoy her book whilst she did so. The bells on the ship began to ring in concert as a chorus of shipmates barking directions to one another sounded overhead, and soon she could feel the ship begin to set sail to a land that she would never hope to see.

Soon.

* * *

The Makai moon had fully risen by the time Jedah realized how long he had indeed been meandering about, still distressed about the dream he just had. Confused and desperate to clear his head, he had arisen and flew out the doors of his balcony into the cool night; flying somewhere, anywhere, away from his bed and the fresh sting of memory. How could something so simple trouble him so.. _profoundly_? It had been thousands of years since he had last seen his parents, even before he had gone into his deep sleep, and had already seen them off into the blessings of the eternal plane long before then.

Perhaps what had disturbed was that even thought he knew the story well, he had never imagined it so vividly. Nor in that fashion. Even as a child, he had trouble picturing his father so… well, so young. Such were the machinations of even a demon child. In his dream, Jedah could see that he had been a spitting image of the ruler of the Dohma house in his youth. Or perhaps what had disturbed him was the fact that he had not even had a cohesive dream in years.

Even as he lay dormant for all of those centuries while Ozomu wasted away upon the rotted throne of his birthright, not once did he ever have a dream, much less one so vividly.

He had already flown back to the castle, alighting into the main courtyard with the gardens behind him. An early autumn was already descending upon the Makai landscape, and the thick fragrance of the apple orchards starting to blossom behind him hung heavy in the air. Apples in his world made for far more sultry, succulent fare than the watery, crisp bite of fruit borne of the mortal realm.

Indeed, such an apple could possibly seduce another Eve he could think of…

He would watch her with growing interest as the juice ran as a sanguine jewel down from her lips to her chin, her eyes shining up at him in satisfaction. He would pluck the fruit from her, running a finger around her reddened lips, the other hand gently inching its way up the sheer fabric of her skirt, letting him lay her down right there before taking her; amongst the grass, the dirt. He would let her writhe, aroused and wanton beneath him as he sensually took his time peeling off the chaste white robes from her immaculate body with the adulation of the fanatic before the visage of his goddess. "_Anita_.."

She would look upon him, running a nail down the length of his broad chest and Jedah had undone and torn it off in an instant, desperate for the same treatment upon his bare skin. Anita was perfect, her body and curves soft and delicate upon an expanse of silken skin. His lips, his tongue explored her as she mewled softly and he held her fast, so as to not let his little nymph escape. He finally undid his pants and kissed his way up her legs, placing himself securely between her thighs. She began to plead with him in her impatience, and he kissed her lips, drank of her deeply. The shy, nervous blush that painted across her cheeks as he fingered the soft velvet of her thighs, her folds was exquisite. Absolutely exquisite.

His hand briefly brushed over her feminine pearl, and he stole a breathless kiss as he took her lips once more. His hands slid their way over her tummy, upward to gently caress her ripe breasts. The fallen blossoms from the apple trees above them were mingled within her luxuriant wave of hair beneath her body, and he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, intoxicated in the gentle and sweet smell of her.

Jedah smirked as she gasped in surprise as he separated her thighs a bit wider, raising them to hug snugly against his hips in preparation to finally claim her as his own. He felt her heartbeat suddenly pulse her fragrant blood within her veins, and his fangs grew in an instinctive response. She cried out throatily as he began to push himself into her, the smell of her virginal blood rich in the air awakening an uncontrolled beast within his being.

His restraint, in that instant, was utterly destroyed.

The dark messiah's fangs simultaneously marked her as his as they sank into the sultry curve of her vulnerable neck; her back arched to brush her rosebud nipples against him. The Sovereign; Naked and beautiful and crying in sheer pleasure, in exaltation of _him_…

…and Jedah was suddenly back by himself- clothed, sadly -furiously aroused and gripping one of the apples in a vice-like grip.

Oh yes. He was going to go collect his pet at this very moment.

He had stood, secreting away the tempting apple within his pocket and frantically trying to leash his lustful heat when the fluttering of a rich cape sounded in the air above, finely crafted boots landing deftly in the grass behind him.

How infuriating. Jedah coolly composed his temper and turned toward his visitor with tepid regard.

"Lord Maximoff. It is a pleasure."

The muscled vampire raised his arms in a harmless gesture, then bowed lowly from the waist, earning him a sneer from Jedah. Though Lord Maximoff was certainly one for pomp and circumstance of the nobility, his arrogance was outstandingly irritating. "Come, come!" Demetri seemed to be in a chipper mood this night. "It has been ages! Lord Dohma, when I heard that you were to inherit the Makai throne, I was.. Overjoyed, to say the least." That certainly wasn't the word he would have chosen for it- Demetri's smile tightened at the thought of the tirade he threw at the Maximoff estate only days earlier, slaughtering his human females and attendants unfortunate enough to get in the path of his blind fury.

Jedah smiled. The sheer waves of anger from Demetri struggling to hide his obvious displeasure was nothing short of delicious.

"Yes, well, I thank you for your commendations. If I may be so bold, perhaps something else has brought you here at such a late hour?" Jedah gripped the apple within the pocket of his thick coat, eager to leave the vampire lord with his vexation so as to collect his little Eve. "You must be very busy as of late already."

"Indeed young prince, indeed!" He slipped his hand within his breast pocket, and with the flair of a magician performing a feat flicked his wrist and produced a envelope, presenting it before the dark messiah. It was a gaudy thing, the parchment inlaid with gold pressed script lettering and a thick wax seal embossed with the Maximoff family crest; very fitting for the proud vampire lord. "A ball, milord, in your honor." The entire sentence was practically grated through his clenched teeth- he may have very well been better pleased eating sand.

"How.. generous of you." _Brown-nosing, sanctimonious pig. "_Really, I am quite honored by the gesture. I hate to be so rude as to excuse myself so suddenly, but I really must attend to some very pressing matters. Adieu, Lord Maximoff._"_

"Please wait, Lord Dohma. One more word?"

Jedah bit back a cry of frustration and swiveled back around on his heel. "Yes?"

"Of course, all of the information is included therein. I would appreciate it if you sent reply of your acceptance posthaste. Including," His smile became slightly venomous, "_Any escort you deem fit to bring_. But yes, I shall pardon myself and shall not keep you any longer. But I believe I shall visit you again." Demetri's wings emerged from beneath his grand cape, and he ceremoniously alighted into the air. "Good eve unto the morrow, _young prince_."

* * *

"_All I ask is but a single rose!" cried the merchant, cowering away from the monstrous form of the Beast, who shook his head. "I will forgive you on one condition -- that is, that you will give me one of your daughters."_

_"Ah!" cried the merchant, "if I were cruel enough to buy my own life at the expense of one of my children's, what excuse could I invent to bring her here?"_

_"No excuse would be necessary," answered the Beast. "If she comes at all she must come willingly. On no other condition will I have her. See if any one of them is courageous enough, and loves you well enough to come and save your life. You seem to be an honest man, so I will trust you to go home. I give you a month to see if either of your daughters will come back with you and stay here, to let you go free."_

"_BRACE YOURSELVES_!!!!"

Anita's head snapped up from her book at the sudden shout, then shrieked as she was thrown from her bed onto the floor in a heap, as if slammed by an invisible wall. She felt, even more so heard as the ship was tossed about on malevolent waves; Sheets of icy rain pounding on the hardy wooden deck overhead. The room jerked violently again, and the lamp on the table thrust itself from the beside table to shatter upon the floor. Lightning flashed, tearing a jagged seam across the black skies and highlighting the spectacle in horrific detail; waves roiled angrily outside of the porthole as she struggled to get back up onto her feet. The inevitability of her fears had been realized: She had been wrong about him being able to traverse the ocean, and innocent people were going to suffer because of her stupidity.

Her previous plans of going with him with an air of dignity fled as horror coated her tongue, drying it up. Jedah was going to take her or kill everyone on the vessel, or both.

Anita threw the door open, and was instantly assaulted by the icy winds streaming in from above deck. Batting her hair wildly out of her face, she was already shivering and soaking wet by the time she made it out onto the deck, gripping the rails as the boat rocked in the tumultuous waves- at this rate, the ship would capsize and drown them all.

"Jedah!" She called out, her voice drowned out in the howling winds. "Please! Please, just.. I'll go! Don't hurt anybody..!! I'll go willingly!" The rain was coming down so hard now it stung against her face. She twisted up her hair into a sopping knot and braved walking away from the rail out onto the wooden deck. Some of the sailors had noticed that she had wandered up onto the deck, and began gesturing wildly toward her as one of the sails tore away from the mast and was stolen by the wind.

Anita began to make her way toward them, straining to hear against the chaos around her as another sail was torn asunder. The wooden deck bucked beneath her feet, and she was thrown into the side of the stern, and held onto dear life as articles on the deck began to shift and were thrown around. She closed her eyes and tried desperately tried to calm the waves, protect the ship, the people onboard- something, anything.

Please, please, please, please, PLEASE-

The sound of something heavy grating against wood suddenly broke into her frantic prayers, and she opened her eyes only moments before the bulk of a crate slammed into her, sending her over the side of the boat and into the frigid sea. Her mind slowed to a delirious crawl as the waves of ink closed in over her head, and the cold embrace of oblivion took her.

It was so comfortable, here.

* * *

_Fever, hot and thick, devastated her world. Often, she would feel hot a searing in her arm, followed shortly after with a thick, tasteless liquid being forced past her lips, and burned her throat with renewed vehemence. She would often relent, weakly turning her head away and letting the venomous liquid dribble down her chin as she pursed cracked lips away from the onslaught. It would usually stop after that._

_She would cough so violently, it would be as if her very ribs were threatening to break themselves in two. And always, always, there was the palpable darkness. _

_She was always hot, always in pain, and always blind and bound in this senseless, maddening hell. Jedah had her now, and was torturing her for her insolence. She did not care._

* * *

Try as he might, he could not find her. At all.

The weeks went by as Jedah spent countless hours on his throne, searching the entire realms for her unique mental signature only to find absolutely _nothing_. He spent so much time in these intense meditative episodes, he was frequently awakening in the empty throne room, realizing that he had spent the entirety of the previous day- which soon encompassed weeks -in his attempts to locate her.

The hunger of bloodlust gripped him, and it had begun to show. His skin had become translucent, thin and coarse as paper; the tiny spider-webbings of his blue veins began to show through. He regarded his reflection with disgust, his temples pounding from the immense toll on his body from his neglect to nourish and properly rest himself.

But more than the hunger, more than the crippling fatigue and the uncertainty of what he was to do now that the final piece of his puzzle had seemingly fallen off the face of existence; he felt resonant, unyielding, _rage_.

Had he not indulged himself in that trite nonsense with Lord Maximoff, he would have found her as she had fled, he was sure of it. He had raked his subconscious over her room, the convent, and the adjacent roads and meadow countless times, and he unwillingly accepted that her aura had begun to stale in the empty space- Indeed, he had barely missed her by a few hours' time. Hiding a psychic signature _period _was a feat in and of itself, and not a trivial trick to be learned in the span of a day. With a dim horror he realized that she must have realized her power.. instantaneously? Impossible, he berated himself.

Something drastic had to have happened. Either she miraculously came into her right as the Sovereign overnight…

Or she had been dead all of this time.

Had it been… a suicide?

He felt a sick feeling creep through him at the thought. He had not wanted to drive the poor girl into killing herself. Such a sad, piteous waste- he had not wanted to deprive the realms of the bright Messiah and the salvation that he so sought, that these desperate times so needed; Merely own and command it for himself.

Jedah smirked, and chided himself. He was waxing poetic about the one single being who was to be the only known obstacle between himself and creating his beautiful new world. He closed his eyes, and contemplated. He forced himself to radiate patience, faith through his being. This, too, could be easily remedied.

The world that so loved and needed her would not let her go so easily. Gaia would not relinquish her only precious daughter with such reckless abandon.

Or so he had hoped, for both his sake and hers.

For the time being however, other matters pressed. He spread his great wings and was soon flying like a shot out of the Dohma castle, laughing aloud as the cool air lapped at his skin and awakening his dulled senses into new vigor. In the distance, he could smell young blood, and the fresh Makai apple blossoms sang in the air- the world was fertile, and there was sustenance, _pleasures_, to be had tonight.

* * *

Anita opened her eyes for the first time in what felt like years, taking a shaking breath and timidly observed her surroundings. A world entire opened before her wearied senses, magnificently furnished with rich brocade and cherry wood furnishings, rose embroidered windows were pulled open to look down upon a wide oceanside view full of bright morning sunlight. A steady insect-like thrum sounded beneath the picturesque view, and when a fat little body powdered in a down of pollen droned lazily past her window she realized that there also must have been a capable beekeeper on the premises as well.

The room was a soft pink, and smelled wonderful: luxurious scents, like toiletry water, scented talcum and potpourri. A fire had been lit in the little hearth beside the four-poster bed she sat in; a beautiful cloisonné vase filled with the most extraordinary flowers sat atop the mantle. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before. It was all so soft and lovely.. worlds apart from the tiny room she had in the convent, or on that shi-

_The ship. _

_The storm_.

Where was she? What if this was some ploy by Jedah? Those insufferable nightmares sent a horrified chill up her spine. However, this was worlds apart from the ceaseless, choking darkness; Perhaps he had created this room to mollify her, make her complacent. She had been frantically glancing around for something to possibly use as a weapon when the door opened and she snapped attention toward it, instantly alert and on guard.

Something crashed to the floor, followed by a startled gasp. "O…o-oh my! Young master, please come quick!"

A young girl dressed in a finely tailored maid's uniform now crouched upon the floor, blushing furiously. "I apologize, miss- you were up so suddenly, you frightened me!" She was quick to pick up the pieces of shattered glass and spilled sugar- a tea set, without a doubt -fishing a tea towel out of her apron pocket and wiping up the rest of the liquid.

A man wandered into the room, and Anita realized how tall he was as he crossed the room in three strides and sat in the chair beside the bed, setting a small kit down beside him. He hard dark, curly hair, and looked up at Anita with such a mirthful smile she couldn't help but shyly smile back. "I hate to burst in so suddenly into the _boudoir _of a young lady, but.. Well, I certainly wasn't expecting you to be so alert so soon! They had said that Warburg's Tincture was an unreliable medicine, but this borderlines on miraculous!" He began to busy himself fumbling about in the little leather case as she timidly reached up to feel her hair, realizing that it all had been braided up tightly into a masterful Dutch crown about her head. "I, um… excuse me? Please forgive me for being so blunt, but could you tell me where I am? Why I am here?" She glanced toward where the maid had been stooped, but she and the mess were already gone.

He chuckled, smiling at her once again, his apple-green eyes gently regarding her worried face. "I am sure that you are a bit confused, my dear. Please allow me to introduce myself and explain." The young man pulled a stethoscope from the medical bag, and rolled up the sleeve to the embroidered nightgown she wore and avidly began to listen to the pulse in her wrist, exclaiming softly to himself in amazement once more.

"I am Cecil VonGraven, and you have been the honored guest here in my mansion for nearly two months now. My family and I are all physicians, and it is very lucky for you that I am so!" He tenderly rolled her sleeve back down, placing it back against the bed and patted it. "You had us all scared here for quite a while- our steward had spotted you out on the beach from the lighthouse in the dead of the night while on watch and brought you here. Excuse me," He placed the stethoscope against her chest, asking her to inhale, and a light blush crept along Anita's face as he continued.

"You were as cold as ice, and it was obvious that you had gone through quite a lot, dear mermaid. Sadly, even after getting you bathed and changed, your condition had quickly elevated into fever, and we all feared for the worst. I thought that I may lose you." He earnestly looked into her eyes, and Anita bit her lip. "You had been quite sick this entire time, and here you are this morning, sleeping beauty after her one-hundred year slumber, as fresh as spring rain. Simply astounding. But please, tell me yourself how you are feeling?"

It had been a lot to take in, and Anita was quiet for a long moment before she spoke again.

* * *

Cecil took a deep, labored breath as he stepped outside of the room. Something strange was going on, that was definitely for sure: She had miraculously recovered in an incredible amount of time, and when her condition was dire enough to ensure death.. And the way she made him feel was unmistakable. It was overwhelming- like standing in a direct ray of luminous sunshine. It was beautiful.

So was she.

And yet.. Being around her made him feel something almost clouded and forgotten arise to the surface of his subconscious. Small fragments of something important, long ago..

He was running about in tatters, a small child, ambling about after something large, monstrous. It was something archaic, and was by far the most marvelous thing he had ever laid eyes on, an orphan who knew nothing else but the pain of dwelling on the streets. Gun smoke. Oil. Gears. It should have been anything but the companion of a child.

But this monstrous being.. It made him feel warm, though. Warm and safe.

Suddenly, the name of it emerged within his mind- How on earth could he have forgotten?

"_Huitzil_."


End file.
